


Talla

by Donteatthefootcream



Series: Pride Month 2020 [26]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Husbands, Kissing, M/M, Marriage, Moving, Negotiations, Post-Canon, SHRAN IS A REPRESSED SOFTIE OKAY, Sharing a Bed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and a dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24844498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donteatthefootcream/pseuds/Donteatthefootcream
Summary: After Shran and Archer get married, Shran is very adamant on his want for children.
Relationships: Jonathan Archer/Thy'lek Shran
Series: Pride Month 2020 [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768411
Comments: 1
Kudos: 47





	Talla

It took awhile for Archer and Shran to finally settle down together. With Shran’s faking of death and then Archer’s involvement with the potential Federation, it takes longer than either of them expected to get things all worked out. They reunited at a conference, Shran now some sort of ambassador. He doesn’t like being called that though, he still prefers “general” or “commander” , proud of his military success. 

Yet, here the both of them are moving furniture around their newly bought home. Well, mostly Archer. Shran prefers to stand back and order him where to move it. It’s not exactly fair, but Archer has found it easier to deal with Shran’s infuriating attitude than fight with him. He’s used to it now… mostly. 

They had settled on Earth. Archer liked being home and not the cold. Shran’s been to so many planets over his career, he can hardly call Andoria “home”. He still prefers frequent visits, and Archer had to promise him trips to colder environments on Earth. He’s not exactly looking forward to it, but there had to be a compromise somewhere. 

“Have you ever thought of having children?” Shran asks him, mid pushing of the couch. 

“What?” Archer asks, panting. They’ve been at this for hours. 

“Children. Do you want them?”

Archer gestures to the unorganized house, the efforts of moving clear. “Don’t you think we should get this in order before we even consider that?”

“That didn’t answer my question, pink-skin.”

Ah yes, that nickname Shran’s hardly forgotten all these years. “Fine. Shran, I’m not opposed to the idea, but adoption is complicated. Most definitely with an interspecies couple. We should be working on this before we start a much more challenging goal.”

Shran nods. “It wasn’t that hard, was it? Answering my question.” He then brings his attention back to the couch, thumb to his lips in consideration. “A little bit further to the right.”

With an annoyed sigh and roll of eyes, Archer takes action in pleasing his husband. His _maddening_ husband. 

  
  


Shran waits another few months before bringing it up again. Children. Archer’s already in bed, trying to fall asleep, when the blasted Andorian crawls in behind him and looms over him, ready to attack him with his requests. 

“I want a child,” Shran tells Archer. 

“Shran… it is too late for this conversation,” Archer grumbles, forcing his head deeper into the pillow. 

“I’ve started looking into it. Adoption. With our notable names, it shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m not implying we bribe our way through the agency-“

Realizing Shran won’t be giving this up, Archer rolls over to face his blue skinned husband. 

“Shran, we’ll look into it tomorrow.”

“I was thinking of an Andorian child? There’s nothing wrong with human children, but I miss home. A tad bit.”

“Andorians are cuter.” 

Shran smiles, looking down at Archer. It took awhile for Archer to get used to the look on Shran’s face, a smile. A genuine smile. He had a nice smile too. His antennas perked up with a smile too, making the gesture more endearing to witness. 

Archer returns the smile when he feels the press of cold lips against his forehead. To think a general of the Imperial Guard could be so gentle. 

  
  


Shran was right. Interspecies couple or not, they were famous Federation wide. The not-Ambassador Shran and the Captain of Enterprise who saved Earth and helped build the Federation as they know it. They’re quite hard to miss. 

Shran’s dedication to the adoption surprises Archer. It’s as if he’s always wanted children, weird because Shran never came off as interested in being a family man. Truthfully, when Archer married Shran, after years of Shran being opposed, he wasn’t expecting the topic of children coming up. With their schedules, he simply never thought it possible, but Shran wanted a child. So much he was willing to be the one to be at home the majority of the time.

When Shran first proposed the idea, Archer was skeptical. Shran, a father? The ideas didn’t fit together. Yet, watching Shran be the one to give the house tours to the agents, to make sure everything was clear on every document and answer, it made Archer realize that he might be in competition for best dad. Shran already had a head start. 

Having agents tour their house, hearing Shran fill him in on every single update down to the punctuation, and having Shran stay up later than usual to make sure nothing bad happened was a bit of a reality check; he’s going to be a dad. They’re both going to be dads. 

But, those moments were nothing compared to signing the adoption papers. A baby girl, Andorian. Shran’s hand was shaking when he signed the papers himself. It felt unreal, the whole thing. 

They’re sharing an Andorian ale the same night. He used to despise the drink, but now all it reminds him of are the moments with Shran. The Andorian who’s been so warm and welcoming since Archer agreed to adopting. He’s full of surprises, Shran. 

“I always wanted a daughter, you know? There was something appealing about it, having a little girl,” Shran tells Archer. 

The human chuckles, taking a sip from his drink. “So, you were never the ‘throwing the football with the son’ type? Why am I not surprised?” 

“I was perfectly fine with having a son-!”

“Shran, I get it. You’re protective, caring, and secretly a softie. That’s why I’m not shocked.”

One of his antennae twitches, but his face makes no sign of displeasure. “Did you want a daughter?”

Archer shrugs. “Both options were appealing, Shran. I didn’t have a preference.”

“There’s something daunting about being a father with a son. You’re expected to raise them in your image. Obviously, I would want to teach my own values and customs, but I didn’t want my child to believe they had to be like me.”

“You’re going to be fine.”

Archer leans across the table, pressing a soft and comforting kiss against Shran’s lips. It’s then when it really hits Archer how terribly empty their house it, just the two of them in silence. 

  
  


When they get her, she’s only a few weeks old. Shran demands to hold her first, and Archer knows it’s in his best interest to let that happen. She’s blue and hardly has any striking white hair yet. She looks nothing like Archer, but he can’t find himself to complain. This is his kid. His daughter. 

“I was thinking Talla,” Shran suggests to Archer, his gaze never leaving their daughter’s sleeping face. 

“Talla?” Archer repeats, considering it himself. “It’s pretty.”

Shran smiles, holding her small form gently in his arms. “Talla it is then.”

Archer doesn’t think anything in his life could be more perfect than this moment. Nothing at all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all can not tell me Shran would be the softest father out there. We all saw the way he loved Talla.


End file.
